By Tawni Rogers
I absolutely crochet anywhere I go if I have a spare moment and my supplies with me. I try to be very conscientious about where I'm at, so I don't take them to movie theaters, and I don't do anything that might disturb somebody. I know my hands moving super fast and looking down can be really distracting, so I do not do anything that way.
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However, love to crochet when I'm traveling, so whenever I fly, I always have a small project and a hook with me. Every week when I'm meeting at church or in other meetings, I just love to keep my fingers busy. I do find that it helps me listen more because I'm not paying attention to what's happening around me, and I can focus a little bit better.
Who talks to me
When I fly and I'm crocheting, whoever is sitting next to me will say something about it. They've all been very kind in the past about it, and they'll ask me things like how I learned or how long it took me to learn. Many people tell me that their grandma used to know how to crochet, or that they would watch her make projects all the time.
People usually say they could never learn this, or that it seems too hard, or that it takes too long. Typically, they're very kind about it; I get a lot of compliments, and they admire how long it takes or the patience. They tell me my project looks beautiful, or that the colors are beautiful, and they like that I have something to help keep my mind at ease while I'm traveling.
The best conversation
I was sitting at a big craft fair selling some of my projects, and obviously I had my yarn and hook with me, so I was working on others while I was there. A sweet lady came up to me; she knew how to crochet, but she didn't know the stitch I was using. We got to sit and have a nice long conversation. I pretty much taught her the stitch I was working on.
I even wrote the instructions for the stitch down on paper so she could take it home and try it later. She was very sweet, and it was fun to connect with someone else who shares the same hobby and understands the work that goes into it.
The worst reaction
By far, the worst reaction I've had was when I was sitting at a farmers market in a booth selling the projects I'd made over the last couple of weeks. Sometimes I do this just to earn a little extra money from all the products I've been working on.
An older man came up to my booth and told me that nothing on my table looked bad enough to throw away, but it wasn't good enough to be there. In other words, he didn't understand why anyone would buy what I was making or spend money on it.
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At the time, I just smiled and nodded and do what you do at farmers market when people say rude comments. I didn't argue with him, but it's a quote that I'll never forget.
At work and on planes
I love to travel with my crochet, especially on an airplane. I am not afraid of flying, but it does kind of cause me anxiety, so I like to have a project to keep myself busy.
The first time I flew with my supplies, I was nervous about my crochet hook going through security. It looked like a pen or something else, but it wasn't metal, so I didn't have any issues getting through.
I always choose not to bring a project that would require changing yarn or having multiple schemes going, because I don't want to travel with scissors. I know a lot of people have been really creative with that part of the project, and they will cut it with nail clippers or something else that can get through security. But I usually just take one skin, one hook, and one small project, like a scarf or a hat, that I can make on the plane without having to carry too much.
Whether I'd recommend it
I'd absolutely recommend someone showing your craft or talent in public. Some of my favorite conversations come from sitting at my farmers market booth crocheting during downtime between customers or when people walk by.
So I absolutely love having those conversations with people. It usually brings me to moments where I can tell them how long I've been doing it, how I learned, and how long projects made me make different things. I love to tell people all the things I've learned and encourage them to learn this as well. A lot of times, people think that they could never do it, and I love telling them that I've only been crocheting for a handful of years.
Once you get it, it's very fun and becomes muscle memory. And once it clicks, it clicks, and I love encouraging people to try new things.
